Temecula, Calif., March 25, 2010 — More than 200 spectators watched carefully as the 11 horses offered in the second annual Elite Event Horse Auction paraded in the main arena this evening at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials. The horses range in age from just-started 4-year-olds to experienced competitors of 10 years old.

At the 2009 inaugural Elite Event Horse Auction, five of the 10 horses offered were sold, with prices ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.

Auction manager Wendy Wergelies emphasized that EEHA is not a gavel-to-gavel auction. Interested buyers can try the horses under saddle throughout the Galway Downs International Horse Trials before purchasing them. They can even test them on cross-country jumps at neighboring Kingsway Farm. Digital x-rays of all the horses offered are available for evaluation, a veterinarian is on the grounds to perform a full pre-purchase examination, and legal papers have been prepared to finalize the sale.

“We’ve come up with a fun format, starting with this wine-tasting party while watching the horses perform tonight, to put sellers and buyers together,” said Wergeles. “And we’ll be here next year, trying to make it even better.”

EEHA benefits the non-profit organizations Southern California Equestrian Sports and the Thoroughbred Rehab Center Inc. Two of the offered horses were from the Thoroughbred Rehab Center.

Competition begins tomorrow (Friday). Competitors in the CIC3* will ride their dressage tests from 8:30 a.m. to 11:22 p.m. and show jump from 1:00 p.m. to 1:38 p.m. On Saturday afternoon, the CIC3* will tackle the testing cross-country course, beginning at 1:20, with the horses in the CIC2* jumping cross-country immediately afterward.

General admission for the Galway Downs International Horse Trials is $5 for Friday and Sunday, and $8 Saturday in advance and $10 at the gate. Patrons’ tickets—which include seating in the ringside tent, lunch and a full selection of beverages—are available for $55 per day in advance. For advance reservations, go to www.galwaydowns.com.

Mark your calendars for the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event on Nov. 4-7, featuring the brand-new CCI3*, the first ever on the West Coast. For more information on the Galway Downs International Horse Trials and the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event, visit www.galwaydowns.com or call 951-303-0405.